Quick answer
PVsyst is a Windows simulation program for yield, shading and loss studies (CHF 700 per year for PVsyst 8 Professional). SurgePV is a per-user design and proposal platform from $1,899 per user per year that includes 3D roof modeling, shading, yield and proposals. Choose PVsyst for detailed simulation studies, SurgePV for design-to-proposal work. Checked October 2026.
Comparing PVsyst with SurgePV?
Book a guided demo and run one of your own sites through layout, shading, yield and proposal.
Book a Free DemoChecking cost first? See the SurgePV pricing page.
SurgePV publishes this page and is one of the two products compared. The PVsyst facts come from PVsyst’s shop, product page and help pages, checked October 2026. The SurgePV facts come from its pricing page and published product scope, checked November 2026.
What do PVsyst and SurgePV each do?
PVsyst simulates solar systems; SurgePV designs, models and proposes them. PVsyst’s help calls the product “a PC software package for the study, sizing and data analysis of complete PV systems” and covers grid-connected, stand-alone, pumping and DC-grid systems. SurgePV’s published scope is 3D roof modeling, array layout, shading analysis, energy-yield modeling, financial modeling, electrical workflow support, bill-of-materials output and proposal generation.
For PVsyst on its own, see the PVsyst review and is PVsyst free?.
PVsyst vs SurgePV: feature comparison
| Feature | PVsyst | SurgePV |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Yield simulation and analysis | Design, yield, financials, proposals |
| Platform | Windows only; one licence per computer | Web product; guided demo |
| Shading | 3D near shading, horizon and electrical (module layout) losses | Shading analysis; 8,760-hour annual shade simulation described on its shadow analysis page |
| Yield values | P50/P90 tool; not for stand-alone and pumping systems | P50/P75/P90 scenarios with documented assumptions |
| Loss reporting | Loss diagram; engineer report for each run | Not detailed on the pricing page |
| Financials | LCOE, ROI, payback, NPV from entered costs | Financial modeling in scope |
| Proposals | None listed | Proposal generation in scope |
| Weather data | Seven databases including Meteonorm 9 and PVGIS-TMY | Not stated on the pricing page |
| Trial | One month, watermarked reports | Guided demo |
Sources: PVsyst 8 product page, PVsyst P50/P90 help and PVsyst licensing help, checked October 2026. SurgePV: pricing and shadow analysis, checked November 2026.
How much do PVsyst and SurgePV cost?
PVsyst is priced in Swiss francs per licence per year; SurgePV in US dollars per user per year. Neither price includes your own conversion or tax.
| Product | Published price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PVsyst 8 Professional | CHF 700 per year | Updates included; tax treatment not stated; group discounts of 5% to 20% for 2 or more licences |
| PVsystCLI | CHF 3’000 per year | Command-line simulation tool |
| PVsyst Education / Student | CHF 420 / CHF 25 per year | Watermarked reports |
| SurgePV Individual | $1,899 per user per year | 1 user, +18% GST |
| SurgePV 3 users | $1,499 per user per year | $4,497 for 3 users |
| SurgePV 5 users | $1,299 per user per year | $6,495 for 5 users |
- 1 user$1,899
- 3 users$1,499
- 5 users$1,299
Source: SurgePV pricing page, checked November 2026.
Paying for yield and for proposals separately?
Walk through one project in SurgePV and see whether one plan covers the design and the proposal.
Book a Free DemoChecking cost first? See the SurgePV pricing page.
Who should pick which?
- Engineers who need detailed loss diagrams and a P50/P90 study: PVsyst.
- Installers and EPCs who go from site to customer proposal: SurgePV.
- Teams on Mac or mixed devices: SurgePV or another browser tool; PVsyst is Windows only.
- Projects where a lender names the software: ask the lender first, and see what bankability means.
Pros and cons
PVsyst
- Pro: separate near, horizon and electrical shading models and a P50/P90 tool.
- Pro: published price and a one-month trial.
- Con: Windows only, one licence per computer; no proposals listed.
- Con: the trial limits you to generic components and watermarks reports.
SurgePV
- Pro: design, shading, yield, financials and proposals in one per-user plan with unlimited projects listed.
- Pro: free onboarding listed on every plan.
- Con: guided demo rather than a self-serve trial.
- Con: outputs do not replace engineer, authority or lender approval.
Bottom line
Use PVsyst when the job is a detailed simulation study, and SurgePV when the job is going from roof to proposal in one tool. Many teams will use one or both; decide by what your customer, lender and engineer ask for. Book a SurgePV demo or see the pricing page. Related: Aurora Solar vs PVsyst, solar design software.
Sources
- PVsyst shop: CHF prices (checked October 2026).
- PVsyst 8 product page: features, weather data, trial (checked October 2026).
- PVsyst help: P50/P90: method and limits (checked October 2026).
- PVsyst help: licensing: trial terms (checked October 2026).
- SurgePV pricing: plans and features (checked November 2026).
- SurgePV shadow analysis: 8,760-hour shade simulation (checked November 2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PVsyst or SurgePV better for energy yield studies?
PVsyst documents more simulation detail. Its help describes a loss diagram, near, horizon and electrical shading, and a P50/P90 tool. SurgePV lists energy-yield modeling and P50/P75/P90 scenarios with documented assumptions for project-specific review (vendor pages, checked October to November 2026).
How much does PVsyst cost compared with SurgePV?
PVsyst 8 Professional is CHF 700 per year, updates included. SurgePV is $1,899 per user per year for 1 user, $1,499 per user for 3 and $1,299 per user for 5, plus 18% GST. The currencies differ, so convert before comparing.
Does PVsyst run on a Mac or in a browser?
No. PVsyst runs only on Windows, and the vendor lists servers and Remote Desktop as unsupported. SurgePV is described as a browser-based platform on its site; ask in a demo about your devices.
Can SurgePV replace PVsyst?
It depends on what your lender or engineer asks for. SurgePV outputs support design and documentation but do not replace approval by the responsible engineer, authority or lender, per its published limitations. If a lender names PVsyst, ask for its requirements before switching.
Does PVsyst make customer proposals?
The PVsyst pages we read list no proposal or sales tools. It has an economic evaluation with LCOE, ROI, payback and NPV from costs you enter (PVsyst help, checked October 2026). SurgePV lists proposal generation in its scope.
Is there a PVsyst free trial?
Yes, a one-month trial. It uses generic components only and puts a watermark on reports, then switches to demo mode (PVsyst licensing help, checked October 2026). SurgePV starts with a guided demo, not an advertised self-serve trial.
